Wellmark’s Blue Cross and Blue Shield health insurance company, to better assists students with insurance claims, will now rent an office space in the Student Health building.

Wellmark, Inc. will rent 93 square feet of space in the Student Health Center at the rate of $1,860 per year starting Aug. 11.

Blue Cross and Blue Shield’s on-campus consultant will be Kevin Snow, an Iowa State alumnus, said John Cox, supervisor of customer service for Wellmark.

Snow will assist students with questions about insurance claims, doctor referrals and hospital visits, Cox said.

“Our goal is to become more accessible for the students,” Cox Said. “They can turn around and have their questions answered.”

The current office, located at 2515 Elwood Drive, can be difficult to reach for students without transportation and the current toll-free number can lead to communication problems among international students, said Rose Kelso, a student health insurance clerk.

“All international students are required to have this insurance unless they can prove they have another insurance,” Kelso said.

Sometimes the use of insurance can be a new experience for international students, she said.

“A lot of students come to Iowa State from countries with socialized medicine. Plus, a lot of these students have difficulty communicating over the phone. If you can see them face to face, it will make a big difference,”Kelso said.

Snow will also be able to be reached via internet. Some international students feel more comfortable communicating through the internet rather than face to face, Cox said.

The Blue Cross and Blue Shield office is also an aid to student health insurance clerks as well, Kelso said.

“ISU doesn’t receive money from Blue Cross and Blue Shield to sell insurance or discuss insurance policies. Before all we could do was refer them to the 1-800 number, now we can send them to their office,” Kelso said.